Simple Ways to Fill Summer Days

The Family Learning House sent this email to parents full of simple, easy ways to spend one-on-one time with your kids this summer.

We thought it was worth sharing:

Summer is upon us, school is out, conferences are over, and what many of you might be wondering is, “What do with my child all this free time he has?”

First and foremost, you spending time with your child is the best
suggestion I can give you. Summer camps, art camps, nature camps are all available in big cities like Beijing, but the gift of spending time with your child is what will create memories and a lasting impression on your child even into his adulthood. We have compiled a list of twenty activities that are simple and accessible to you so you don’t need to be a teacher to see a sense of wonder in your child. Enjoy!

1. Go outside and find ten different kinds of flowers. Have a reference guide handy so that you can name the flowers when you find them

2. Go camping, even if it’s in your own backyard or in your living room with a tent. Tell stories, read books, and eat treats

3. Have a family game night

4. Cut up old magazines(old National Geographic magazines are great for this)and make a collage

5. Go to a museum. It doesn’t have to be a children’s museum. Children will gain a sense of the experience even in adult-oriented history or cultural museums

6. Plant something even if it’s in a pot on a balcony. Peppers, beans, strawberries, and tomatoes are kid-friendly and easy to maintain

7. If you don’t live where you can see stars, visit the Beijing Planetarium (www.bjp.org.cn/misc/index.htm). If you can see stars from your home, lay down in the grass and watch as your child sees the beauty of our Universe.

8. Donate toys and clothes your child doesn’t use. Allow him/her to be a part of the decision-making process

9. Fly a kite

10. Make homemade ice cream or popsicles

11. Become a photographer for a day. Easy disposable cameras might be helpful with this.

12. Make an obstacle course in your yard or play area of your apartment complex. Invite others to try it

13. Make a fire plan. Allow your child to contribute to the plan

14. Show your child how to make a paper airplane and have a paper airplane contest

15. Make dinner for your family

16. Take a walk in the woods and record the sounds of nature

17. Make a scrapbook of everything you did this summer

18. Help your child create a family website where your children can post pictures of their artwork and you can post updates of
your family